What's the best way to get people to want to buy products made from dying corn? Market them to the middle class as fancy and exclusive—just like Itanoní Flor del Maíz is doing with its gourmet tortillas in Mexico.

Author David Bornstein says that when it comes to covering social innovation, the media is doing it wrong. Instead of showing what's wrong in the world, how about showing how smart solutions can bring about change?